Butterflies of Northern Peru -- True Butterflies page 1

While I know most of the Eastern North American butterflies pretty well, I'm still learning my tropical leps. Here are 90+ species of neotropical butterflies of Peru grouped by subfamily and family. References used include Bernard D'Abrera's excellent Butterflies of the Neotropical Region series, DeVries' Butterflies of Costa Rica series, and Feltwell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Butterflies. Big thank yous go to Andrew Neild (author of The Butterflies of Venezuela), who helped with many identifications, Zsolt Bálint (Hungarian Natural History Museum) for identifying the Lycaenids, Stéphane Attal (Perisama sp.), and Tomasz Pyrcz (satyrines, pieridae). Thanks also to Fred Nijhout and Ian Mann for their suggestions. If you know the species of any of these or if you spot any errors, please email me at jspippen@duke.edu All photos were taken with a Nikon CoolPix 4500. This is the first of four pages of butterflies. Links to the other three pages may be found at the bottom. Enjoy!

Nymphalidae - Nymphalinae (misc. Brushfoots)

Eighty sp. (Paulogramma peristera)

Several butterflies in this group are named for the number resembling the pattern in the hindwing.

El Paraiso, ca. 400m26 Sep 2003

Perisama canoma lamasi

Abra patricia, ca. 2000m29 Sep 2003

same individual as above

Perisama philinus descimoni

Abra patricia, ca. 2000m29 Sep 2003

Dynamine setabis

Abra patricia, ca. 2000m29 Sep 2003

Adelpha cytherea (closely related to North American sisters & admirals)

El Paraiso ca. 400m elevation. 27 Sep 2003.

Hypanartia letheAbra Patricia, ca. 1900m30 Sep 2003

same individual

Hypanartia cinderellaThis is a recently described species, very similar to H. kefersteini, which is what I originally thought this was. (Thanks Andrew Nield!)Sitting on my camera case!Abra Patricia, ca. 1800m1 Oct 2003

This species ranges from the U.S. all the way down to Argentia. I've seen it in both Florida and Texas!

Balsas, ca. 950m3 Oct 2003

Scarlet Peacock (Anartia amathea)

Abra Patricia, ca. 1800m30 Sep 2003

Glaucous Cracker (Hamadryas glauconome)

Members of this group of butterflies are known as crackers for the "crackling noises" the often make during interactions with each other. They also exhibit impressive cryptic coloration, blending in with tree bark as they perch upside down on tree trunks. Quebrada el Limón, ca. 650m23 Sep 2003

Blue Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)

This is a different species of Cracker from the other side of the Andes!

El Paraiso, ca. 400m27 Sep 2003

Orion (Historis odius)

Nuevo Salem, ca. 400m28 Sep 2003

Nymphalidae - Acraeinae

Probably Actinote alcione

Along the road to El Paraiso, ca. 600m26 Sep 2003

Nymphalidae - Heliconiinae (Longwings)

Heliconius sp. (probably H. sara (or H. leucadia?))

El Paraiso, ca. 400m27 Sep 2003

Heliconius telesiphe

Abra Patricia, ca. 1500m1 Oct 2003

Agraulis vanillae lucina (Heliconiinae)

El Paraiso, ca. 600m27 Sep 2003

Julia

Dryas julia julia

This species ranges North all the way to Texas and Florida in the U.S.

El Paraiso, ca. 600m27 Sep 2003

Nymphalidae - Ithomiinae (Clearwings)

Scada ethica

Abra Patricia, ca. 1500m

Nymphalidae - Melataeinae (Crescents, Patches, Checkerspots, etc.)

Eresia eunice eunice.

At first I thought this was a Heliconianae or an Ithomiinae, but the majority of the antennae are yellow from tip down, a feature of some females in the genus Eresia in the Melataeinae.